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Erdington

jennyann said:
Lynda. Ann Harris was my dancing teacher for tap and ballet. Mom had to buy a tambourine for me which we put ribbons on and my first pair of pink satin ballet slippers I wasn't very good but at that time I wanted to be Moira Shearer!. I used to go to Cecil Road for lessons on Saturday mornings. I remember being in a show at the YMCA on Reservoir Road and singing Happy Days are Here Again.
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jennyann

As a newbie to this forum I am still reading and catching up with so much nostalgia and finding posts that trigger so many childhood memories for me.

I too went to Ann Harris's school of dance in the 1950's , she had a son and daughter if I remember rightly?

My most enduring memories are the shows at the Birmingham Hippodrome.......'Happy days are here again'.... yes indeed!

I still tell people that I 'trod the boards of the Birmingham Hip.
 
Hi

For those of you interested in Erdington's history, there's a book out on Erdington Cottage Homes - the children's homes off Fentham Road (The Gardens) - The Children of the Homes: a century of Erdington Cottage Homes. It covers the history of the Homes from when they were built as part of the workhouse until when they closed in the 1980s and has memories of people who lived there as children as well as bits of information about the history of Erdington generally.

You can find it on Amazon but the postage is cheaper from www.childrenscottagehomes.org.uk/bookshop
 

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Here is an ariel view from the 1920s, it's from the ariel photography website, it shows Erdington infirmary (Highcroft) on one side and the Cottage Homes on the other.EPW021001.jpg
 
Funnily enough I spent weeks trying to find that very picture and get permission to reproduce it in the book. I did get permission in the end but then couldn't believe it when it turned up on that website free and available just the other week. What is particularly interesting about the photo is it clearly shows the deep green of the superintendent's lawns (the big house in the middle of the drive) and the brightness of the asphalt yards that the children's houses had.It is also interesting to look at modern aerial views (thanks Google!) and see how little the street has actually changed.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Lovely memories thanks for posting the link.. I went to the high street often my brother was manager of Tescos early 70's.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Brings back memories for me too,from the late 60's and 70's used to go into Erdington from Sutton with nan to the markets, especially the one diagonally opposite Woolies that used to sell material, nan and mom were keen seamstresses and knitters. Can remember Owen and Owen and had my first fob watch from Roberts jewellers in York Road (I think), lovely engraved one, still have it sadly doesn't work now, washed once too much!! And again in the late nineties and noughties, Micks nan lived in Stockland Green/Erdington and used to go to the "village" on the ring and ride, or with us if we were visiting, his mom and dad got married at St Barnabas too
Sue
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Hi Sistersue61: Lovely memories for you. The Erdington Market on Barnabas Road is still going strong. I too used to go there regularly with my Mother years ago. I have a friend who lives close by and she knows all of the market people who are there today. When I visited she took me around to all of the stalls that were open and introduced me to the owners. It was such a friendly place to visit and has hardly changed over decades. There is a photo and many others on Keith Berry's site that can be found at https://www.pbase.com/beppuu/erdington
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Thanks JennyAnn, was in a stand off with hubby, he was insisting that there was only Wilton Market and that the other one was the back of Wilton Market - now he has to admit he is wrong lol!
Will have a look at Keiths site later.
Sue
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

sistersue61 said:
Brings back memories for me too,from the late 60's and 70's used to go into Erdington from Sutton with nan to the markets, especially the one diagonally opposite Woolies that used to sell material, nan and mom were keen seamstresses and knitters. Can remember Owen and Owen and had my first fob watch from Roberts jewellers in York Road (I think), lovely engraved one, still have it sadly doesn't work now, washed once too much!! And again in the late nineties and noughties, Micks nan lived in Stockland Green/Erdington and used to go to the "village" on the ring and ride, or with us if we were visiting, his mom and dad got married at St Barnabas too
Sue
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I too remember Owen and Owen but it was called Taylors back in the 60's. I also had my first job in York Rd, right opposite you at an electrical store called Clearlight Electrical.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Great memories, I was brought up in Marsh Lane.
Went to Erdington Grammar and worked in Woolies on Saturdays, my Dad was beat bobby in the High street(Village) area.
When I was a child there used to be Wrestling matches in the Barnabas market.
Lovely to see the doctors surgery in the High street, remember Dr Houston and Dr Throne, my parents solicitor was in the house next door.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

chocks2 said:
I too remember Owen and Owen but it was called Taylors back in the 60's. I also had my first job in York Rd, right opposite you at an electrical store called Clearlight Electrical.
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I forgot about Taylors chocks.
The good old Palace picture house. Saturday matinees. Back seats in later years:redface:
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Frothblower said:
Nice to see my pub, The Lad. I feel quite thirsty now:rolleyes:
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I enjoyed seeing "The Lad in the Lane" again too.
Every so often we used to make the trek across the city to meet my grandad in there, (he lived in Birches Green Rd).
While the grown ups were inside we kids would be running riot outside. I used to love seeing my cousin, Tommy Pallett. I wonder what happened to him ?
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

I loved the Erdington markets and visited them often with my Mother when she lived in Sutton. My sister worked in Foxy Lady next to the undertaker opposite the church. There was a brilliant Red Cross charity shop as well...great memories.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

There was a little cafe in the market, a counter and three or four stools, run by the same lady who was there for years.

I can recall her form the late 50’s to the late 70’s
 
Remember another caff, The Griddle Inn. On a corner just up from Taylors/Owen Owen. Spent many hours in there. Also spent many hours in the caff in Taylors - usually after school discussing boyfriends. Viv.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Bikeral72 said:
I seem to recall the "MilkBar", wasn't that opposite the Parish Church?.
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My Dad used to take me swimming in Erdington baths on Thursday evenings to teach me to swim when I was little. We always stopped at the milk bar on the way back home for cheese on toast and a mug of Horlicks!
 
Hello janreb, I also remember Pat the sock. She was close to my sister in law, also a Pat, who sold the cooked meats. We were all good friends of Pats, she was a lovely lady.
 
Certainly not the Roebuck I remember either, but I'm sure it had a revamp at some stage so this could well be it in its newer form!
 
Vivienne14, if I remember correctly, they used to hold discos/dances up there and I'm sure I went to an engagement party and a wedding reception there- in fact, the more I look at the picture, the more convinced I am it is the upstairs room.
 
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